WNYC NEWS

Election Coverage
WNYC’s midterm election coverage included analysis of the issues and tight races, candidate profiles, and an election guide created by the WNYC Data News team to inform voters of the choices, as well as an experimental community initiative, #JustVoteAlready, that succeeded in increasing participation in a district with historically low voter turnout (NYC Election District 80004 in the Bronx). The coverage culminated with a four-hour special hosted by Brian Lehrer on election night.

Environmental Concerns
In October 2014, WNYC teamed up with NBC 4 New York to examine what climate change will mean for New York City. The week-long “NYC 2050” series made predictions, based on consensus research from the New York City Panel on Climate Change and similarly reputable scientific studies, and explored their ramifications for city life and infrastructure. In June, WNYC ran a five-part series in partnership with website City Limits called “The Cost of Our Water.” The series examined where our water comes from, why water rates in New York City have nearly tripled in the past 15 years and the consequences for residents.

Being 12
It’s no secret that being 12 years old can be tough. It’s a transformative time in a child’s life – physiologically, psychologically, academically and socially. “Being 12,” a week-long WNYC/SchoolBook series, used audio and video stories along with photo essays to bring to life the array of faces, voices and perspectives of these young New Yorkers. The project reached large audiences beyond our platforms, on Tumblr and YouTube.

NYPD Bruised“NYPD Bruised,” a series of in-depth reports, revealed that it is not uncommon for low-level arrests to spiral dangerously out of control, and that a relatively small number of officers routinely use unnecessary force. While the NYPD devotes tremendous resources to spotting crime trends, it neglects to turn an eye inward, which allows these officers to continue this behavior without reprimand or removal from the streets. The series also found that African-Americans charged with low-level crimes are far more likely to face a charge of resisting arrest than whites are. The series won a Sigma Delta Chi Award (Public Service in Radio Journalism), Regional Edward R. Murrow Award (Radio, Continuing Coverage), New York State Associated Press Award (General Excellence of Individual Reporting), and Deadline Club Award (Radio or Audio Reporting). In Fiscal Year 2016, the series was also recognized with an Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia University Award.

MicropolisThe newsroom series “Micropolis” by Arun Venugopal, which explores race and culture in New York City, took a week-long look at faith in December 2014. The series aired during Morning Edition and included stories on how street evangelists proselytize in New York, the Hare Krishna comeback, big Orthodox Jewish families and being Muslim in America. In the spring, Venugopal hosted a five-session “Micropolis” series in The Greene Space, on topics as varied as food culture (eating with your hands) and the role of race in standup comedy.